Cotton picking means



J. J. BRAMBLETT 2,668,410

COTTON PICKING MEANS Y Feb. 9, 1954 Filed Sept. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR JOHN J. BRAMBLETT Feb. 9, 1954 J. J. BRAMBLETT COTTON PICKINGMEANS Fi l ed Sept. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet LLL ' INVENTOR '7 Jam: J.BRAMbLiTT BY MWM/ Patented Feb. 9, 1954 COTTON PICKING MEANS John J.Bramblett, Pine Bluff, Ark., assignor to Ben Pearson, Incorporated, PineBluff, Ark., a

corporation of Arkansas Application September 8, 1952, Serial N 0.308,335

13 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in cottonpicking machines, and particularly relates to a picking machine of theso-called spindle type in which a plurality of spindles are mounted invertical banks and provided with rotating means, the rotating spindlesbeing moved into and out of a picking zone in which they come intocontact with the cotton carried by cotton plants and effect removal ofthe lint from the bolls.

More specifically this invention relates to an improvement in spindlemeans for use with such cotton picking machines and in means foroperating such spindles. The use of tapered spindles having barbs forthe purpose of more emciently engaging the cotton carried by the plantshas heretofore been known. It has further heretofore been contemplatedthat barbs might be employed in a cotton picking spindle and retractedout of picking relation so as to provide for stripping the picked cottonfrom the spindle.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improvedconstruction for a toothed picking spindle so as to accurately andefficiently provide for advancement of a shell relative to the teeth ofthe picking surface of the spindle to strip the picked cotton from theteeth.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spindle for a cottonpicking machine which comprises a core for mounting in the pickingmachine for travel in a fixed path and a shell surrounding a portion ofthe core and reciprocable relative thereto, in which the shell isconnected to the core through a resilient connection.

A further object is to provide such a fixed core with serrations orteeth and to provide such shell with slots through which the serrationsnormally project.

A further object is to provide such a spindle in which both the serratedor toothed portion of the core and the shell taper toward the outer endof the spindle.

A further object is to provide in a cotton picking machine a pluralityof such spindles and cam means arranged in the path of travel of thespindles and effective to advance the shells outwardly from the spindlesso as to move the shell surface into engagement with the tooth engagedcotton and to remove the cotton from the teeth so that it may be easilyremoved from the spindle subsequently.

A further object is to provide a cotton picking spindle consisting of acore and a shell slidable on the core in which the core is provided witha plurality of rigidly fixed longitudinally extending 2 blade-likemembers respectively having serrated, sawtooth edges and the shell isslotted to accommodate such blade-like members.

A further object of the invention is to generally improve the design,construction and efficiency of operation of picking spindles for cottonpicking machines.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the presentinvention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment willreadily be understood from the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a cotton picking machineforming a portion of a cotton picker, and illustrating the generalenvironment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken as on the line 11-11of Fig. '1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan view on an egilarged scale takenas on the line IIIIII of Fig.

Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal sectional view on a further enlargedscale of a single spindle made up in accordance with this invention, andin picking condition.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of a spindle in picking conditiontaken as on the line V-V of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken as on the line VIVI of Fig.4.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of a spindle in strippingcondition on the scale of Fig. 5, taken as on the line VII--VII of Figs.3 and 8'; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of a spindle in stripping condition.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicatedby numerals, the pick-'- ing machine in which the present invention isembodied is shown as enclosed within a housing H and comprises aplurality of elongated box-like supporting members 83, each support l3having fixed thereto a plurality of spindles I5. The boxlike supports itare fixed to upper and lower heads ll, IS, with which they cooperate toform a drum by which the spindles are carried. The drum is fixed to adrive shaft 19, upon the upper end of which shaft is fixed a sheave 2!,the sheave being riven as by a belt 23 from suitable drive means, notshown, for the purpose of revolving the drum.

Each of the supports l 3 is provided with a spindle driving shaft 25,upon which driving shafts are carried a plurality of spindle drive gears21 which are preferably bevel gears. Shafts 25 are preferably jcurnalledrespectively in the tops and bottoms of supports it and prefer-ablyproject above the tops of supports I3 and are provided with drive gears29 which mesh with a bull gear 3! projecting upwardly beyond the top ofhousing I I and having a sheave 33 secured thereto, the sheave 33 beingconnected as by a belt 35 to drive means, not shown, drive of the bullgear effecting drive of shafts 25 and of gears 21 carried there- Each ofthe picking spindles 15 consists of an elongated core 31, which, for thepurposes hereinafter pointed out, is preferably hollow from end to endproviding a bore 38. At the inner end of core 31 a gear 39 of the beveltype is fixed. outwardly from gear 39 core 31 is surrounded by asuitable bushing 4!, upon which is journalled a journal portion 43, thejournal portion at its inner end being threaded asat 45. Supports l3 areprovided with a plurality of threaded bores into which the threadedportions 45 are threaded in order to mount the spindles upon thesupports. When so mounted the spindle gears 39 project into the interiorof supports l3 and into meshing drive engagement with the respectivespindle drive gears 21, as shown in Fig. 2.

A collar 41 is fixed to core 31 at the outer end of journal 43 and isprovided with a skirt 48 which is adapted to embrace the journal portionso as to limit outward movement of the journal portion relative tothe,core. Adjacent the outer end of the core and throughout asubstantial portion of its length are carried a plurality of blade-likemembers 49, each of the blade-like members 49 being provided with aserrated saw tooth edge 5!, or in the alternative, with a plurality ofbarbs or teeth. The blade-like members are rigidly fixed to the core 31so as to radiate therefrom, and are disposed in alinement with andequally spaced about the longitudinal axis of the core with thesaw-tooth edges 5! facing away from the core. The blades narrow towardtheir outer ends, so as to provide a uniform taper along their edges.

Slidably mounted on the core 31 is a hollow shell 53 which is preferablypolygonal in cross section, being shown in the preferred embodiment asof substantially square cross section. Shell 53 at its outer end isprovided with a substantialli pyramidal-shaped tip portion 55 which isinternally threaded to receive and threadedly engage an elongated screw51 in the manner hereinafter described. The body of shell 53 is providedwith a plurality of longitudinal slots 59 which separate the body of theshell into segments 53A. Each of the slots is adapted to slidablyreceive and accommodate a serrated blade-like member 49 and the slotspreferably extend from solid tip 55 inwardly throu hout the remainder ofthe length of the shell. At the inner end shell 53 is provided with aring 5! which surrounds the shell segments 53A and serves to retain theinner ends of the shell segments against separation, as well as a camabutment as pointed out hereinafter. Shell 53 tapers toward its tip,uniformly and similar to the taper of blades 49, and the segments 53Aare so dimensioned as to be of less thickness than the width of blades49 to provide for the proiection of edges 5| beyond the shell when theshell is mounted on the core in retracted position.

As heretofore stated, core 31 is preferably provided with a hollow bore38 extending from end to end of the core to receive and house elongatedscrew 51. At its inner end the hollow bore 38 of the core is enlarged toform a chamber 63 which is of a size and diameter to receive the head ofscrew 51. The hollow bore 38 is concentric with the longitudinal axis ofcore 31 and enlarged chamber E3 is concentric with the bore and with theaxis.

interposed between screw head 65 and the base of bore chamber 63 is acompression spring 61 which surrounds the inner end of screw 51, bearsagainst the base of chamber 63 and oppositely against screw head 55, andconstantly urges screw 51 inwardly relative to the bore 38, thusconstantly urging shell 53, the tip of which is threadedly engaged withscrew 51, to move inwardly relative to core 31 into the position asillustrated in Fig. 4. It will be seen that compression spring 61 thusserves to resiliently retain the shell in retracted position, as shownin Fig. 4, and that the shell may be advanced outwardly along the corewithin the limits permitted by spring 61 in chamber 63, the shell andcore assuming in such advanced position the position best shown in Figs.3, '1 and 8 in which the shell has so advanced that the surface of theshell is substantially flush with the serrated blade edges 5|.

In the assembly of the device the respective spindles (5 are mountedupon supports [3 by the threaded engagement of threaded portions 45 withthe threaded bores formed in the supports l3, the spindles thus beingturnably supported by journals 43 in the respective supports 13 withspindle gears 39 drivingly engaged by drive gears 21. The entireassembly, consisting of the supports and spindles carried thereby andthe upper and lower drum heads i1, i8, is mounted within housing 1! uponshaft l9 and driven by belt 23 efiecting revolution of the drum in thedirection indicated by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 3. As the drum is thusrevolved the spindles are moved into and out of a picking zone P inwhich the spindles project into the path of plants, along a row of whichthe device may be moved, and drum revolution moves spindles oppositefrom the picking zone into and out of a stripping zone S in which it isdesirable to remove the picked cotton from the spindles. During drumrevolution drive of bull gear 3! is effected through belt 35 and throughthe interengagement of bull gear 3! with spindle shaft drive gears 29,spindle drive shafts 25 are driven, and through the interengagement ofgears 21 and spindle gears 39 rotation of spindles i5 is accomplished.

As is shown in Fig. 2, when spindles 15 are moved into picking zone Pthey are presented with toothed edges 51 projectin from slots 59 inshells 53 and the rotating spindles with the projecting toothed edgesefficiently engage and remove lint cotton from plants with which thespindles come in contact with the picking zone. The spindles, with theengaged cotton thereon, are moved from the picking zone into thestripping zone S and in order to facilitate removal of the picked cottonfrom the spindles it is desirable to provide means for advancing shells53 outwardly along cores 31 until the spindles have assumedsubstantially the position shown in Figs. 7 and 8, in which the taperingshells, being moved outwardly along and relative to the tapering cores,are moved to a position where the relatively smooth surfaces of theshells are substantially flush with the toothed edges, shell slots 59being moved along blades 49 and eifectively forcing cotton engaged uponedges 5| away from and off of the edges, loosening the cotton andfacilitating its subsequent removal.

accent For the purpose of mechanically effecting such shell advancementit is preferred that cam bar means 69 be mounted. in the picking zone 5.Cam bars 69 are preferably arcuate and are arranged concentrically withdrum shaft l9 and are supported by leaves ll fixed to attachmentbrackets 73, brackets it being attached to the side wall of housing H.Cam bars 69 are arranged in the path of movement of spindles i5 and arepositioned to be successively engaged by the spindles substantially atthe inner end of shells 53. Preferably each cam bar iii) is mounted soas to'act on the spindlesin two adjacent, vertically spaced rows, thatis each cam bar 68 works upon a plurality of spindles, half being ineach of said rows, simultaneously.

Cam bars 53 are each provided with an approach portion 15 which ispositioned to enter between shell ring 6! and core collar 6?. As canbest be seen in Fig. 3, cam bars as enlarge from approach portions 75 tothe full thickness of the cam bars, in the direction of movement ofthespindles during drum revolution. As the spindles are advanced towardthe cam bars, approach portions l5 enter between rings 6i and collars 4iefiecting separation by moving shells 53 outwardly against the action ofsprings ill. This separation is continued and the shellsfurther-advanced outwardly as the spindles are moved along the cam baron to the body portion of the'cam bars. In this manner shells as areadvanced outwardly along cores $3 in the stripping zone, loosening thepicked cotton as heretofore set out, which may then be removed from thespindles as through a suitable exhaust, such as exhaust pipe H, as by afan or other means not shown.

After the spindles have thus been acted upon by cam bars E9, continueddrum revolution moves the spindles beyond the end of the cam bars,which, it will be observed, in abrupt, releasing the separating effectof the cam bars upon the spindles, springs 61 being then effective toreturn the spindles to the picking condition in which the shells areretracted and the toothed edges 5| project therebeyond.

It will be understood that while it is preferred that the spindle shellsbe of polygonal cross section so as to be substantially pyramidal inshape, they may be of circular cross section so as to be substantiallyconical in shape without departing from this invention. It will befurther understood that while the present invention has been shown anddescribed in connection with a drum in which the spindles travel in arelatively fixed circular path, it is also applicable to drum typecotton picking machines in which the spindles travel in other fixedpaths, such as for example that illustrated in Patent 2,140,631.

I claim:

1. Cotton picking spindle means adapted for mounting in a cotton pickingmachine, comprising an elongated core, a journal portion surroundingsaid core adjacent one end of the core and supporting the core forrotation, a plurality 'of uniformly tapering blades carried by said corein alinement with the longitudinal axis of the core, said blades eachincluding a serrated edge and having an edge opposite said serrated edgeseated on and rigidly fixed to said core, each said blade extending froma portion of said core intermediate the length of said coresubstantially to the other end of said core, said blades radiating fromsaid core in substantially equally spaced relation about said core andtapering toward said other end, a collar carried by said core adjacentsaid intermediate portion, a tapering shell of polygonal cross sectionslidably mounted on said core having a like plurality of elongatedslots, said blades respectively being positioned in said slots, saidshell having a ring adjacent said collar, an end tip adjacent said coreother end, and being longitudinally shiftable relative to said core froma retracted position in which said tip substantially abuts said adjacentcore end, said collar and said ring are in proximate relation, and saidserrated blade edges project beyond the exterior surface of said shellto an advanced position in which said tip is spaced from said adjacentcore end, said ring is spaced from said collar, and said shell surfaceis substantially flush with said serrated edges and return, anattachment member extending through the interior of said coresubstantialiy from end to end and detachably secured at one end to saidshell tip, a compression spring abuttin said core interior and saidattachment member adjacent its other end urging said shell into saidretracted position, said spring resisting shift of said shell toadvanced position and urging return from advanced position. I

2. Cotton picking spindle means adapted for mounting in a cotton pi ringmachine, comprising an elongated core, a journal portion surroundingsaid core adjacent one end of the core and supporting the core forrotation, a plurality of uniformly tapering blades carried by said corein alinernent with the longitudinal axis of the core, said blades eachincluding a serrated edge and having an edge opposite said serrated edgeseated on and rigidly fixed to said core, each said blade extending froma portion of said core intermediate the length of said coresubstantially to the other end of said core, said blades radiating fromsaid core in substantially equally spaced relation about said core andtapering to-- ward said other end, a similarly tapering shell slidablymounted on said core, having a like plurality of elongated slots, saidblades respectively being positioned in said slots, said shell having anend tip adjacent said core other end and being longitudinally shiftablerelative to said core from a retracted position in which said tipsubstantially abuts said adjacent core end and said serrated blade edgesproject beyond the exterior surface of said shell to an advancedposition in which said tip is spaced from said adiacent core end andsaid shell surface is substantially flush with said serrated edges andreturn, an attachment member extending through the interior of said coresubstantially from end to end secured at one end to said shell tip,spring means, abutting said core interior and said attachrnent memberadjacent its other end, urging said shell into said retracted position,said spring means resisting shift of said shell to advanced position andurging shell return from advanced position to retracted position.

3. Cotton picking spindl means adapted for mounting in a cotton. pickingmachine, comprising an elongated core, means adjacent one end of thecore supporting the core for rotation, a plurality of uniformly taperingblades carried by said core in alinernent with the longitudinal axis or"the core, said blades each including a serrated edge and having an edgeopposite said serrated edge seated on and rigidly fixed to said core,each'said blade extending from a portion of said core intermediate thelength of said core substantially to the other end of said core, saidblades radiating from said core in substantially se ia ly s ace rel tionsa d so e and to ca n t ward sa other and a similary t nerns she lslioab y mount d on sa d c e having ls plu ality of e on at o s, aid blae res ct e y bein posit ed i s id s ots sa d shel bei g lonsito. pa yhift relat e t a d loor from acted po t on i h c said shell su a t allabuts said c r oth r end and said serrated ,blade edges project be.- r nt e ext or urfa e o sa d hel to a advanced position in which said shellsurface is substantially flush with said serrated edges and return, anattachment member extending sub stantially from end to end through theinterior o sa d c re, o e d o sa m b ome socured :to said shell beyondsaid core other end, ur gmoan a u t eI a oo nt r orandsaid memberadjacent its-other end urging saidshell into said retracted position,said spring means es stin h o sa d s l to d an d s t on r sing return fa nce po i on o et ac ed o i 4.- vG tto o o ns p ndl m an ad pted fomounting a cotton picking machine, comprising an elongated ,core, meansfor supporting the core for rotation, a plurality of uniformly taperingblade-like members, said blade-like members each including a serratededge and having an edgeopposite said serrated edge seated on and rigidlyfixed to said core, each said blade extending along a portion of thelength of said core, a similarly tapering shell slidably mounted on saidcore having a like plurality of elongated slots, said blade membersrespectively being positioned in said slots, said shell beinglongitudinally shiftable relative to said core from a retracted positionin which said serrated blade edges project beyond the exterior surfaceof said shell to an advanced position in which said shell surface issubstantially flush with said serrated edges and return, meansconnecting said shell to said core and spring means carried by said coreengaging said connecting means and urging said shell into said retractedposition, said spring means resisting shift of said shell to ad.- vancedposition and urging return from ad? vanced position.

5. Cotton picking spindle means adapted for mounting in a cotton pickingmachine, comprising an elongated core, means for supporting the core forrotation, a plurality of uniformly tapering elongated blade-likemembers, each including a serrated edge, said members being rigidlyfixed to and radiating from said core, a similarly tapering shellslidably mounted on said core having a like plurality of elongatedslots, said blade members respectively being positioned in said slots,said shell being longitudinally shiftable relative to said core from aretracted position in which said serrated blade edges project beyond theexterior surface of said shell to an advanced position in which saidshell surface is substantially flush with said serrated edges andreturn, and means resiliently connecting said shell to said core, urgingsaid shell into said retracted position and urging return from advancedposition.

6. Cotton picking spindle mean adapted for mounting in a cotton pickingmachine, comprising an elongated core, a plurality of uniformly taperingelongated blade-like members, each including a serrated edge, saidmembers being rigs idly fixed to and radiating from said core, a sim--ilarly tapering shell slidably mounted on said core having a likeplurality of elongated slots, said blade monit r specti e y be ngpositioned in said slots, said :Shdl :bei s longitud nally Shiftablerelative to said core from a retracted position in which said serratedblade edges Project beyond the exterior surface :of said shell :to .anadvanced position in which said shell .surface ,is substantially flushwith said serrated edges and return, and means resiliently-connectingsaid shell to said core, urging said shell into said :retractedposition, resisting shift of said shell to advanced position and urgingreturn-from advanced position.

7. A cotton picking machine which comprises a housing, va revolvabledrum mounted in said housing, a plurality of substantially horizontalrotatable spindle cores secured in vert cal banks to and radiallyprojecting from said drum, said cores each having a plurality of blades,disposed and fixed longitudinally of the cores, having serrated edgesremote irom the core, a plurality of spindle shells respectivelyslidably carried by and covering the radially outer portion of said coes emo e rom said d um means, said shells being slotted to receive saidblades and being positioned on said cores with said blades in saidslots, ,said blades and shells being uniformly ta.- pered away from saiddrum meanstoward their outer ends, means, including spring -means,resiliently coupling said shells to said ,cores and urging said shellsinwardly along said cores ,to a retracted position in which.saidserrated blade edges extend through said slots beyond the exteriorof said shells, each said shell at its inner end being surrounded by anabutment ring, and each said core having a collar adjacent said ring, aplurality of cam bars attached to said housing, each cam bar having athin approach portion and a thick body portion and being supportedbetween vertically adjacent spindle cores in the path of said ringsduring drum revolution, said approach portions entering between saidrings and collars to effect separation of said :cores during .d-rumrevolution, cam shift of said shells moving said shells to ,an advancedposition in which said serrated edges are substantially flush with saidexterior surfaces, said resilient coupling means resisting said shiftand effecting shell return to said retracted position upon departurefrom said bars, and means for revolving said .drum means.

8. A cotton picking machine which comprises a housing, a revolvable drummounted in said housin a plurality of substantially horizontal rotatablespindle cores secured in vertical banks to and radially projecting fromsaid drum, said cores each having a plurality of blades disposed and,fixed longitudinally of :the core and having serrated edges remote fromthe core, a plurality of spindle shells respectively slidably coupled tosaid cores and covering the radially outer portion of said cores remotefrom said drum means, said shells being slotted to receive said bladesand being Positioned on said cores with said blades in said slots, andsaid edges extended beyond the exterior of said shells, said blades andshells being uniformly tapered away from said drum means toward theirouter ends, a plurality of cam bars attached to said housing, each cambar having an appro h p rtion and a bodypo tion and being supportedbetween vertically .adiaoent spindle cores in the pat o th jun tionbetween sa d h l and said cores during um re olut on, sa d approachPortions entering betw en .a d shel s and cores to enact advancement oisaid shells relative to said cores and said body p rtion continuing aidadvancement to eflect shift of said shells outwardly relative to saidcores during drum revolution, cam shift of said shells moving saidshells to an advanced position in which said serrated edges aresubstantially flush with said exterior surfaces, and means for revolvingsaid drum means.

9. In a cotton picking machine which comprises a housing, a revolvabledrum mounted in said housing, and means for revolving said drum, aplurality of substantially horizontal rotatable spindles secured invertical banks and radially projecting from said drum, said spindleseach consisting of a serrated core and a shell slidably coupled on saidcore, with the core serrations projecting beyond the exterior surfacesof said shells, said spindles uniformly tapered away from said drummeans toward their outer ends, and a plurality of cam bars attached tosaid housing, each cam bar having a thin approach portion and a thickbody portion and being supported between vertically adjacent spindles,said approach portions entering between said cores and shells to effectadvancement of said shells relative to said cores and said body portioncontinuing said advancement to effect shift of said shells outwardlyrelative to said cores during drum revolution, cam shift of said shellsmoving said shells to an advanced position in which said serrations aresubstantially flush with said exterior surfaces, whereby to disengagefrom said serrations cotton lint engaged thereon.

10. A cotton picking spindle comprising an elongated core havinglongitudinally alined serrations extending throughout a substantialportion of the length of the core, a shell slidably mounted on theserrated portion of the core, said shell being of a length in excess ofthe length of said serrated portion, and attachment means resilientlycoupling said shell to said core.

11. A cotton picking spindle comprising an elongated core havinglongitudinally alined serrations extendingthroughout a substantialportion of the length of the core, a shell slidably mounted on theserrated portion of the core, and attachment means resiliently couplingsaid shell to said core.

12. In a cotton picking machine comprising a revolvable drum, aplurality of spindles mounted on said drum, said spindles each includinga serrated core, a shell slidably mounted on the core and resilientmeans coupling said shell to said core, and cam means mounted in thepath of said spindle shells during drum revolution, said cam means beingefiective to successively advance said shells relative to said coresagainst the action of said resilient means.

13. In a cotton picking machine comprising a revolvable drum, aplurality of spindles mounted on said drum, said spindles each includinga tapered serrated core, a similarly tapered shell slidably mounted onthe core and resilient means coupling said shell to said core, and cammeans mounted in the path of said spindle shells during drum revolution,said cam means being eiTective to succesively advance said shellsrelative to said cores against the action of said resilient means.

JOHN J. BRAMBLETT.

No references cited.

